YOU'LL FIND IT IN THE TOP STORIES SECTION. NEW AT 6:00 O'CLOCK, AN OFF-DUTY HARRIS COUNTY DEPUTY CONSTABLE IS RECOVERING TONIGHT AFTER TWO PIT BULLS ATTACKED HIM. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN TO THE CRIME SCENE. THE DOGS ATTACKED THIS DEPUTY WHILE HE WAS IN HIS OWN BACKYARD TRYING TO PROTECT HIS OWN DOG FROM BEING BITTEN. ANDY CEROTA JOINS US LIVE IN NORTHWEST HARRIS COUNTY. FIRST OF ALL, HOW BADLY WAS THE DEPUTY INJURED? IS HE OKAY? Reporter: THAT OFF-DUTY DEPUTY WAS BITTEN ON THE HAND. TONIGHT WE'RE TOLD HE'S RECOVERING AT HOME. NEIGHBORS TELL US THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN THE DOGS HERE ON THEIR STREET BEFORE AND TONIGHT ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS ARE STILL LOOKING FOR ONE OF THEM. SHANNON WAS IN HER GARDEN WHEN TWO UNEXPECTED VISITORS SUDDENLY APPEARED. A PAIR OF HONEY COLORED DOGS. THEY WEREN'T AGGRESSIVE OR ANYTHING. I JUST TOLD THEM TO GO HOME AND THEY LEFT. Reporter: NO MORE THAN 30 MINUTES LATER, SHE SAW SQUAD CARS AT THE HOME ACROSS THE STREET. HER HUSBAND TOLD HER THEIR NEIGHBOR, AN OFF-DUTY DEPUTY CONSTABLE, HAD BEEN ATTACKED BY DOGS IN HIS BACKYARD. THAT'S WHEN SHE PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER. AFTER I HEARD WHAT HAPPENED, I FELT REALLY LUCKY THAT THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO ME. I MEAN, I WAS LIKE, IF I HAD KNOWN THEY WERE PIT BULLS, I THINK I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE FREAKED OUT. Reporter: HARRIS COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL TELLS "LOCAL 2" THE DEPUTY WAS BITTEN ON THE LEFT HAND WHILE TRYING TO STOP HIS DOG FROM BEING ATTACKED BY THE PAIR. HE WAS ABLE TO SHOO ONE DOG AWAY. POLICE SAY HE GRABBED THE OTHER ONE BY THE COLLAR BECAUSE IT LUNGED AT HIM. HE KEPT THE ANIMAL AT BAY WHILE HE RETRIEVED HIS SERVICE WEAPON AND ONCE HE HAD HIS WEAPON, HE STILL TRIED TO GET THE ANIMAL OFF. Reporter: THE DEPUTY HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO OPEN FIRE, SHOOTING AND KILLING THE DOG. AT SOME POINT, THE DOGS' OWNER SHOWED UP AND ACCORDING TO ANIMAL CONTROL, HE GOT INVOLVED IN THE STRUGGLE AND WAS ALSO BUTTON. BAD OWNERS. I DON'T BLAME THE DOGS. I REALLY DON'T. EVERY ANIMAL CAN BITE. IT'S HOW YOU TRAIN THEM. YOU GOT TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. Reporter: WE'RE TOLD THE DOGS' OWNER ALSO WANT TO THE HOSPITAL TO BE TREATED FOR HIS INJURIES. WE'RE LIVE IN NORTHWEST HARRIS COUNTY, ANDY CEROTA, KPRC "LOCAL 2". THANK YOU. IT'S NOT CLEAR YET IF THE DOGS'

HOUSTON -

An off-duty deputy constable is recovering after he was attacked by two dogs in northwest Harris County.

Shannon Farrier was in her garden Friday morning when two unexpected visitors suddenly appeared -- a pair of honey-colored dogs.

"They weren't aggressive or anything. I just told them to go home and they left," Farrier said.

No more than 30 minutes later, Farrier saw squad cars across the street. Her husband told her their neighbor, an off-duty deputy constable, had been attacked by dogs in his backyard. That's when she put two and two together.

"After I heard what happened I felt really lucky they didn't do anything to me. If I had known they were pit bulls, I think I probably would have freaked out," she said.

Harris County Animal Control tells Local 2 the deputy was bitten on the left hand while trying to stop his dog from being attacked by the pair. He was able to scare one of them away. Police say he grabbed the other dog by the collar because it lunged at him.

"He kept the animal at bay while he retrieved his service weapon and once he had his weapon he still tried to get the animal off of him," Lt. Wayne Schultz said.

Police say the deputy had no choice but to open fire, shooting and killing the dog.

At some point, the dog's owner showed up and according to animal control, he got involved in the struggle and was also bitten.

"Bad owners. I don't blame the dogs. I really don't. Every animal can bite. It's how you train them. You gotta take care of them," said a neighbor.

We are also told the dog's owner went to the hospital to be treated for his injuries. It's not yet clear if the dog's owner will be cited or face charges.

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